Terry Hemontolor, who was named head coach at Hunters Lane High recently, has been around football success for many years.

Hemontolor has served as an assistant with Coach Ron Aydelott for 11 years at Hillsboro, then three more at Murfreesboro Riverdale with Aydelott before moving over to Hunters Lane to start the 2009 season.

In the last nine of his 11 seasons at Hillsboro, the Burros made the state playoffs, which included winning the title in 2003. In the first two seasons at Riverdale, the Warriors made the 5A playoffs (making the quarterfinals in 2006), before missing in 2008. In his first two seasons as Hunters Lane assistant, the Warriors made the playoffs.

“It was very difficult leaving Riverdale and coach Aydelott, whom I consider one of my very best friends,’’ he said last week, just after landing the Hunters Lane job. “In many ways, I felt we were like co-coaches inasmuch we were so in-tune with each other with our philosophy the time we were together.

“I have been blessed to be around coaches like Howell Flatt and Greg Mantooth at Mt. Juliet, then Aydelott and Richard Campbell, where we had so much success.”
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With the sudden resignation of Campbell early last month, Hemontolor was named as his successor, barely a month prior to first fall practice.

“Coach Hemontolor’s reputation as an educator and coach is second to none,” Hunters Lane executive principal Susan Kessler said last week in a release. “His work ethic is outstanding and we are confident that our athletes will benefit from the wise mentoring in his third year at Hunters Lane.”

Asked about assuming his new role, Hemontolor said he just wants “to carry on the tradition of how competitive Hunters Lane has been in football over the years.”

“Hunters Lane has always been known by its physical play, and I hope to continue that as head coach,’’ he said. “I am hoping our players invest themselves well and work hard toward the continuation of our success. It’s not just about Xs and Os, it’s how we go about things, our ability to work and how we carry ourselves.”

It will be Hemontolor’s first head coaching assignment since 1980 when he was the boss at Lebanon High where he was a standout player in the 1960s.

Hemontolor was asked how long, at age 61, he would continue coaching.

“Once a coach, always a coach,’’ he said. “I feel like I have some very good years ahead of me, and I am ready to try to continue the excellence of Hunters Lane football, started by Jerry Pigue (the school’s first coach).”

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